Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 53 years ago… This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of Jan. 14, 1973. Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of Jan. 7, 1992. Click here to check it out. (Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the comics that went on sale between Jan. 11 and Jan. 17.) And dig that banner by Walt Grogan — new for 2026! We’ve got four of them — one each for the Golden, Silver, Bronze and Modern Ages. So, let’s set the scene: The adversaries in the Vietnam War were close to ending the conflict. On Jan. 15, President Richard Nixon, saying progress had been made in peace negotiations, announced that offensive action in North Vietnam would be suspended as of Jan. 27. That said, on the same day, the Navy carried out a bombing attack on more than a dozen Vietnamese bridges. Peace talks in Paris had resumed earlier in the month but were almost derailed when National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger was dressed down by North Vietnam’s chief negotiator Le Duc Tho over the Americans’ Christmas bombings at the end of 1972. (Operation Linebacker II, the largest campaign involving heavy bombers since World War II, resulted in at least 1,600 civilian deaths. It was the last major U.S. military operation of the war. Still, a peace deal was reached later in January.) Meanwhile, as Nixon prepared to be inaugurated for his second term, Watergate continued to heat up. On Jan. 11, former CIA agent E. Howard Hunt, one of the leaders of the White House Plumbers, was the first major player to plead guilty in the scandal. Four days later, four more took pleas: Bernard L. Barker, Frank A. Sturgis, Eugenio Martínez and Virgilio Gonzalez. This as whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg was on trial for leaking the Pentagon Papers — which tore the lid off the nasty secrets of the country’s involvement in Vietnam, and which led to the creation of the Plumbers to begin with. (Charges against Ellsburg would ultimately be dismissed.) Thousands of miles away, in Italy, Mossad agents on Jan. 14 learned of a Palestinian Liberation Organization plot to shoot down a jet taking Israeli Prime Minster Golda Meir to...
Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 34 years ago… Hey, dig that banner by Walt Grogan — new for 2026! We’ve got four of them — one each for the Golden, Silver, Bronze and Modern Ages. You’ll see them all in the weeks ahead. This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of Jan. 7, 1992. Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of Dec. 31, 1968. Click here to check it out. (Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the comics that went on sale between Jan. 4 and Jan. 10.) — So, let’s set the scene: THE CHUNKS BLOWN ‘ROUND THE WORLD! On Jan. 8, during a swing through Asia and the Pacific, President George H.W. Bush — or, just George Bush back then — passed out and vomited on Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa during a state dinner in Tokyo. Bush, who was supposed to speak at the dinner for 135 diplomats and officials, went sideways between the second and third courses. First lady Barbara Bush jumped into action, holding a napkin to her husband’s mouth. The Secret Service came to her assuredly blessed relief and, while still on the floor, the president told his doctor, “Roll me under the table until the dinner’s over.” The next day, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Bush had a mild case of gastroenteritis and the president held a news conference with Emperor Akihito. Video of the incident went viral in 1992 terms — constant replaying on cable news and a nearly bottomless source of amusement for late-night comedians. Weirdly, the moment presaged Bush’s vulnerability at the polls: 1992 was an election year and Bush was widely expected to win a second term, as a field of Democrats battled among themselves, including former California Gov. Jerry Brown, Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey; Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin; and former Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas. Oh, and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton. IN OTHER NEWS — On Jan. 7, AT&T released the VideoPhone 2500 — only $1,599.99 in the Sears catalogue! — On Jan. 6, the feds urged doctors to stop using silicone breast implants because of adverse health effects. — On Jan. 7, retired pitcher Tom Seaver — one of the best to ever do it...
